full time mom

I want to grow the seeds

2011-11-20T08:42:00.000-08:00

I just finished reading the article "Are You A Beggar Or A Farmer?" and I once again felt guilty of not doing enough. Time to move. Time to put some gas to the car that has been left idle in the garage. I got to work and come up with results. I don't want to be a beggar. I want to be a farmer who "receive and grow" my blessing. God ha been very generous to m and to my husband and I'm sure God wants us to grow the seeds and have "more than enough" so we can share and b a blessing to others.

I am thankful that God sends us people and materials that awaken us when we become too lazy and sleepy to realize we should be going.

*Are You A Beggar Or A Farmer by Bo Sanchez

Jake and the Never land Pirates

2011-10-05T13:06:00.000-07:00

In one of the sources I read, a child age 4 may know a whopping 1,500 words or more though he may still mispronounce many words. In Gab's case, he mispronounces a lot of words specifically in song lyrics. Well, I guess it's not more of mispronouncing the words but unfamiliarity of the lyrics. One of the favorite theme songs he likes to sing recently is Jake and the Never land Pirates. My husband and I would laugh our hearts out each time we hear him sing this song. We wonder how he came up with his own lyrics.

Just now, I searched YouTube for this song and Google for the lyrics. For the past couple of hours, I have been playing the video and trying to sing the lyrics. It is very difficult, I realized. No wonder Gab is mumbling and faltering when singing this song.

I will master this and the next step is to make Gab familiar with the lyrics as well. I'm sure we will enjoy it more if Gab can sing this song with the right words.

No iPhone 5? Only what?

2011-10-04T14:41:00.000-07:00

I'm seeing a lot of people reacting about the new Apple iPhone so I thought of searching for an update. Here's what I found. I think I know someone who will be as disappointed to know that there's no iPhone 5.

No iPhone 5? New iPhone 4S Announced by Apple; Includes Voice Recognition, Faster Processor

Apple, Inc., announced its new iPhone today -- a powerful updated model called the iPhone 4S, but a disappointment to investors and the tech world because it wasn't a completely-new iPhone 5 people had come to expect.

Apple stock, which had been up on a down day, dropped more than 4 percent as the product rollout went on at Apple's headquarters in Cupertino, Calif. -- never mind that the 4S had many of the features widely expected in an iPhone 5.

Top 5: The iPhone, from debut to deluxe machine.

On the outside, the 4S is similar to the phone Apple has been selling for more than a year. But with an A5 processor (the same that runs the iPad 2) and dual-core graphics, Apple said it would be up to seven times faster than its predecessor. With both GSM and CDMA transmitters, it will be a phone that can be used in most countries around the world.

Perhaps the most striking new feature was called Assistant -- software that allows an iPhone user to work the apps in the phone by talking to it. As demonstrated by Apple, it can give you voice directions to the most highly-rated restaurants near you, help you exchange money if you're abroad, or set an alarm to wake you in the morning, all without the user having to enter any information manually.

This kind of intelligence is something that has been hard to package in a consumer device. The software, developed by an Apple subsidiary called Siri, understands spoken nuances -- so that if one asks it, "What is the weather like today?" or "Do I need a raincoat?" it will come back with the same, correct, answer.

Click Here for Pictures: Steve Jobs Through the Years

Apple's Phil Schiller showed how it could take dictation, read one's text messages aloud, and accept verbal requests to search the Web. When asked, "Tell me about Neil Armstrong," the phone's screen showed Armstrong's Wikipedia page.

The company said the phone has a powerful camera, capable of shooting still pictures in dim light with an f/2.4 lens, and 1080p high-definition video with automatic stabilization.

Prices for the iPhone 4S ranged from $199 with 16 GB of memory to $399 with 64 GB. It will come in a black or white case. An earlier model, the iPhone 3GS, will now be free with a cellphone contract. The new lineup, Apple said, will be available in the U.S. on Oct. 14. The iPhone 4S will be offered by Verizon Wireless, AT&T, and -- for the first time, Sprint Nextel.

Presiding over the announcement was Tim Cook, Apple's new CEO and Steve Jobs' chosen sucessor. "I love Apple," he said. "I am very excited about this new role."

Apple knocked down speculation that the iPod music player, which revolutionized the recording industry when it was introduced a decade ago, would disappear. "We're still making iPods," said Apple's Phil Schiller, before showing off enhancements to the iPod Nano, including an option that turns the little mp3 player into a Mickey Mouse watch.

Some other products included:

iOS5, a new operating system for iPads and iPhones. It has 200 new features, Cook said. He highlighted 10 updated apps, such as Camera, which allows one to zoom in on a subject in a picture by pinching the picture on one's touch screen.

Twitter will integrate into the operating system. Once you log onto your Apple device, Cook said, you'll have logged onto Twitter as well, so users can tweet photos, videos and locations seamlessly.

A new app called Find My Friends shows you if your kids, carrying iPhones, made it to school or exactly where your buddies are at the beach. It comes with privacy and parental controls, just one of the features of iCloud. iCloud stores music, photos, books and apps and syncs them across all your Apple devices automatically and wirelessly. The free service comes with 5GB of free storage.

Cards, a new mobile app for an iPhone or iPad allows users to write messages to friends or loved ones, transmit the wirelessly and have them printed on high-quality paper for delivery through old-fashioned mail. Price: $2.99 per card in the United States. The app itself, for download after Oct. 12, will be free.

It was the first major product announcement Apple has made since Jobs, its co-founder and one of the great technological innovators of recent decades, stepped down as Apple's CEO. Jobs announced in August that his health would force him to hand off day-to-day leadership. He remains a the company's chairman.

People who watch the company said Jobs' hand was clearly in the design of the new phone. Jobs has famously resisted market research in the development of Apple's lineup. "We just want to make great products," he has said more than once.

Click Here for Pictures: Apple Products Since the Beginning

The iPhone has been America's iconic smartphone since the first version was released in 2007, though phones running on Google's Android software now outsell it by a 2-to-1 ratio. Cook said Apple has 5 percent of the overall market in cellphone handsets, though it certainly has enjoyed more media coverage and attention from consumers.

Cook cited surveys showing that 96 percent of users of existing iPhone models said they were "very satisfied" or better with their purchases.

Cook pointed out that 23 percent of personal computers sold today are made by Apple. He called it a stunning accomplishment given their premium niche status just a few years ago.

Cook said the iPod continues its dominance of the music player market, with over 300 million sold since 2002 and 45 million sold in just the last year. Over 16 billion songs have been sold through the iTunes store.

"I am so proud," said Cook as he wrapped up the announcement.

Users on Twitter were less kind. As one put it, "It's like expecting George Clooney and getting your old boyfriend in a new car."

Gab is 4 in 2 weeks!

2011-10-04T14:26:00.000-07:00

How time flies! My son is turning 4 two weeks from now. We are scheduled to go to Malaysia for his birthday so we're not really throwing a birthday party at home. I only need to prepare a cake and some loot bags for Gab's nursery class.

When I asked him what kind of design he wants, he told me he wants Octonauts or Angry Birds. These are the cartoons that he's been watching recently.

Angry Birds is pretty popular so I think it will be easier for me to find one. But I don't like Gab watching this show. It's very violent and does not really teach anything.

Octonauts on the other hand is a very nice TV series about undersea adventures. What I like about this show is that it teaches kids to care about animals and it shows examples of team work.

I guess finding a store that will design Octonauts cake will be a bit difficult but I guess I will have to try.

Oh my goodness, 5 KGs more?!?

2011-09-28T09:00:00.000-07:00

Oh my goodness, 5 KGs more?!? I started feeling conscious about my weight (almost 3 months ago) when my ankle learned to shout "OUCH!". For almost half a year now, I have been experiencing pins and needles on my feet. The doctor advised that I should lose weight and that the extra KGs I have put on over the past year is making me suffer. Since I started controlling my eating habits, I lost 3 KGs. But there's 5 KGs more!!

I wonder what I should do to not lose my patience in trying to lose such big excess on my weight. My grade says "SLIGHTLY OVERWEIGHT".

HELP! Feel free to drop me your advice on how I can successfully work this out. I'm scared to get more sickness because of this condition.

Note: Below is the Body Weight Chart in case you wish to check how normal your weight is.

God is always there in your heart

2011-09-27T11:49:00.000-07:00

Another nice post from a friend's wall on Facebook.

"A teenage girl about 17 had gone to visit some friends one evening and time passed quickly as each shared their various experiences of the past year. She ended up staying longer than planned, and had to walk home alone. She wasn’t afraid because it was a small town and she lived only a few blocks away. As she walked along under the tall elm trees, Diane asked God to keep her safe from harm and danger. When she reached the alley, which was a short cut to her house, she decided to take it. However, halfway down the alley she noticed a man standing at the end as though he was waiting for her. She became uneasy and began to pray, asking for God’s protection. Instantly a comforting feeling of quietness and security wrapped round her, she felt as though someone was walking with her. When she reached the end of the alley, she walked right past the man and arrived home safely. The following day, she read in the newspaper that a young girl had been raped in the same alley just twenty minutes after she had been there. Feeling overwhelmed by this tragedy and the fact that it could have been her, she began to weep. Thanking the Lord for her safety and to help this young woman, she decided to go to the police station. She felt she could recognize the man, so she told them her story. The police asked her if she would be willing to look at a lineup to see if she could identify him. She agreed and immediately pointed out the man she had seen in the alley the night before. When the man was told he had been identified, he immediately broke down and confessed. The officer thanked Diane for her bravery and asked if there was anything they could do for her. She asked if they would ask the man one question. Diane was curious as to why he had not attacked her. When the policeman asked him, he answered, “Because she wasn’t alone. She had two tall men walking on either side of her.” Amazingly, whether you believe or not, you’re never alone. " Did you know that 98% of teenagers will not stand up for God? Repost this as Love vs. Sex if you truly believe in God.
PS: God is always there in your heart and loves you no matter what and if you stand up for him he will stand up for you. I bet 93% of the people that read this wont repost it. I read this and reposted it. Well I bet you read this note because of the title, didn’t you. *GOD IS MOVING!* :) *Share it to everyone! feel free to copy-paste OR share this note. This is not a private note. Repost it even if you're not a teenager."

God is always there in your heart.

Prayer

2011-09-26T09:04:00.000-07:00

One of the reasons I enjoy "facebooking" is because I read a lot of nice things on people's walls. Today, I am blessed to come across a prayer that I believe is very nice and I shared it to my friends as well.

"DEAR FATHER, we are so tired and desperate for Your help. Our needs are great and we don't know what to do except turn to You. All we know is to cry out to You because we know that Your Love is great and big enough to fix all the healing our Hearts and World needs. Our hearts are broken. Use us Lord to help others in need. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen! Simply hit Share to encourage others today ♥"

When things are so challenging and problems are so draining, Jesus is there to water us with His grace.

Moira Kelly, legal guardian of Emmanuel Kelly

2011-09-02T12:10:00.000-07:00

I was totally touched by the Emmanuel Kelly video that I did a little bit more of reading. I admire Moira Kelly and for me, she deserves high respect for standing as the legal guardian of both Emmanuel and his brother Ahmed Mustafa. Considering the physical impairment of them both, it is very commendable for her to bring them to her care.

I found out that Moira Kelly is an Australian humanitarian worker who has been (for many years of her life) doing service to disadvantaged children. She is also the legal guardian of the originally cranially conjoined twins from Bangladesh, Trishna and Krishna, separated in 2009 in a 32-hour operation at Melbourne's Royal Children's Hospital. (source: wikipedia)

Such a selfless person. It is very humbling to realize how huge a person of her kind can give and how little some of us can share, and yet we think we are all so consumed already.

I like what one of the judges said after Emmanuel Kelly's performance. "It just makes everything that you worry about so pathetic." True enough, sometimes we think that we are too burdened. Yet when we look around, everything that we worry about is just really pathetic.

count your blessings

2011-09-01T09:07:00.000-07:00

This video made me stop and say thanks for all the blessings in my life.

Be quite content whatever my circumstances

2011-06-17T07:01:00.000-07:00

I love what I just read.

I've learned by now to be quite content whatever my circumstances. I'm just as happy with little as with much, with much as with little. I've found the recipe for being happy whether full or hungry, hands full or hands empty. Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am. - Philippians 4:11-13

Nice reminder.

Work from Home. Earn $2000/month. No Investment. Part Time, 1-2h/day.

2011-06-12T04:16:00.000-07:00

Work from Home. Earn $2000/month. No Investment. Part Time, 1-2h/day.

Wanted Online Internet job workers. Job is only through Internet. Work from home part time jobs. You can earn $1500-2500/month working 1-2 hours/day, no matter where you live. These are genuine Data entry jobs & Internet jobs. No Investment required. Only serious enquires please. For more details visit http://www.earnparttimejobs.com/index.php?id=3464620

work from home opportunity

2011-06-12T04:09:00.000-07:00

just now, i received an invite from a friend who is also a full time mom herself. it's an invitation to earn extra income while working from home either full time or part time. this is very exciting. i got to do this and see how it will work for me. will keep you posted!!

i wanna call him BLUE

2011-05-22T16:54:00.000-07:00

It was gab's lucky day yesterday.. He said he wanted a blue fish and the store luckily got one blue fighting fish for sale. Half a month ago, we went to Pasir Ris Kid's Kampong and gab had fun fishing and animal feeding. He's been telling us a lot that he wants to have a pet fish and yesterday we got him one.

He was so happy!
Dad is so happy!
I am also very happy!

It's nice when we get the chance to spend weekend time getting things or going to places that we know will be forever part of the history of our family!

It's a Monday morning and gab excitedly woke up and greeted his fish!

Good morning blue! It's a sunny day, see?!

:-)

teaching your toddler to read

2011-02-28T11:14:00.000-08:00

I have been thinking a lot lately when the right time is for parents to start teaching their kids how to read. I've seen kids who are 8 or 10 and they could not read smoothly... I also have seen as young as 3 (congratulations to their parents).

I think that my son does not have the attention span needed for some kind of a structured "teaching how to read" setup. He can spell his name though. He can identify words like zoo, spell, dog, wolf, tall, ball, wall, book, sheep, duck, and some other words that he normally sees when watching TV. He also knows the alphabet so well... and the sound of every letter. But every time I try to teach him how to combine the sounds of letters to form a word, he just listens and then after a few minutes he's all over the place doing whatever he wants to do.

I read an article "When and how can I teach my toddler to read?" and it said "Children usually don't start reading before the age of 5 or 6, and for good reason. Researchers believe that until that age, most children have not yet formed certain neural connections that allow them to decode printed letters and then mentally combine them to make words. A few children are able to read earlier, but most of them just pick it up; they don't learn through direct instruction."

It is good to know that I'm on the right track because a lot of articles that I read about this topic tell me that the key to preparing my child is through indirect instruction. This includes introducing him to letters, books, letter sounds, words with pictures, etc.

Perhaps I should try searching for other materials like videos and flash cards. These sorts of things catch his interest. I think it's time I get a new set because he already memorized those that are on his desk. One more question popped on my mind though, how often do I need to "upgrade" the materials?

Love is in the Air

2011-02-18T12:51:00.000-08:00

Keep on Loving You

You should've seen by the look in my eyes, baby
There was somethin' missin'
You should've known by the tone of my voice, maybe
But you didn't listen

You played dead but you never bled
Instead you lay still in the grass
All coiled up and hissin'

And though I know all about those men
Still I don't remember
'Cause it was us baby, way before then
And we're still together

And I meant, every word I said
When I said that I love you
I meant that I love you forever

And I'm gonna keep on lovin' you
'Cause it's the only thing I wanna do
I don't wanna sleep, I just wanna keep on lovin' you

And I meant every word I said
When I said that I love you
I meant that I love you forever

And I'm gonna keep on lovin' you
'Cause it's the only thing I wanna do
I don't wanna sleep, I just wanna keep on lovin' you

Baby, I'm gonna keep on lovin' you
'Cause it's the only thing I wanna do
I don't wanna sleep, I just wanna keep on lovin' you

Keep on lovin' you, baby

I love singing this song to my husband.... it's just so nice and romantic and sweet!!! I wish Gabriel will also sing this song to his future girlfriend/s. LOL

Is this an after effect of Valentine's day? I don't know what I'm thinking but I've had this song on repeat mode for like a week now.

Did some reading and found this info in Wikipedia....

"Keep On Loving You" is a power ballad written by Kevin Cronin and performed by REO Speedwagon. It features the lead guitar work of Gary Richrath. It was one of many REO Speedwagon songs to become a pop hit, reaching the number-one spot for one week in March 1981 on the US Billboard Hot 100, and peaking at number seven in the UK Singles Chart. The single was certified Platinum for US sales of over 2 million copies.

The song has been featured in numerous films, beginning with the 1982 film The Last American Virgin. It has subsequently featured in Crank: High Voltage as well as appearing on the soundtrack to Grand Theft Auto: Vice City. A cover version by The Donnas appears in the 1999 film Drive Me Crazy and in the TV series Cougar Town.

house decorating

2011-02-15T16:13:00.000-08:00

We've recently made some changes in the living room, at last! We've stayed there for a year and a half and whatever was there when we started renting out the place, we had until recently. My husband is thinking of getting an XBOX with Kinect for me and my son. And before he does, he wants everything to be in order. He put all the toys in the other room. Left the TV set, DVD player and the cable TV box. He bought a new shelf and put some photo frames. He arranged the living room in such a way that there will be enough space for us to play and maybe do the dance moves when he gets the game station.

My husband is not quite satisfied though. In the effort to have a lot of space, he now has some space on one corner where something has to be put. He's now thinking of getting a floor lamp. I'm not sure when he will get it but it will definitely mean the Kinect purchase will be moved as well.

The TV set that we used to have at the living room is too big he replaced it with the one we have in our room. Now, I am happier because I have never really wanted a TV inside the room. He put a small table where we used to have the TV. And then he bought a very nice table lamp. Now it's nicer to read inside the room. I don't have to disturb my son when he's already asleep.

Doing some interior design work is really fun. It's so pleasant to have an organized home. I'm just so glad my husband likes to arrange and put things in the proper places. All I'm left to do is enjoy and relax.

funny frog

2011-02-12T05:13:00.000-08:00

Kids are so amazing. They have this very special power of stopping their parents from losing patience.

This afternoon, this was what happened while we were trying to make my son sleep.

Dad (slapping my son on the leg): Gabriel, you sleep or Daddy will get the stick!!! (this was after 3 hours of trying to make him sleep)
Gabriel: buhuhuhuhuhu!!! ribbit, ribbit!!!

Oh my goodness, such a funny frog! I just love being mom to my son!

Missing PINAS Christmas

2010-12-26T10:08:00.000-08:00

this is the second time i missed celebrating christmas in the philippines.

here are some of the things that i missed, for the second time...
"namamasko po!"
simbang gabi (here, they do the simbang gabi. but every night, it's a different church. and too bad, i'm working at night)
puto bumbong
halaya
exchange gifts with families every christmas morning
inihaw na kung ano ano
videoke
mano po ninong, mano po ninang
parol na hugis star in different colors

my list can go on and on and on... we had a good one, but i guess the warmth of christmas in the philippines is still nice to have.

i'm just so thankful i'm with gab and my husband... so it's not that bad after all.

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE! I hope you had a good one, wherever you were on that day.

i miss writing again

2010-04-29T05:21:00.000-07:00

wow, it's been a while. a lot has happened. i hope i can be here often again.

there's a lot to write about. i hope i can write soon. i miss writing again.

Gaming addiction

2010-02-21T14:48:00.000-08:00

My nephew is really addicted to gaming already. He starts playing at seven in the evening (just after he's done with the dinner) and stops when his mom does not stop stopping him anymore... that's maybe around two in the morning. Even when they have classes the following day, they could not stop him from playing. He does not care about his home works. He does not care about his grades. All he cares about is the enjoyment he gets when playing computer games.

Recently, my sister told me that the the boy searched for game torrents and he's up to some new games on the Internet again. I’m not sure how he became this addicted to gaming considering that he's only less than ten years old.

I told my sister to limit his son's access to the computer. Not only does it affect his school performance... it also worsens his health. He became underweight since he started this gaming thing. I told her to change the computer's password or block the gaming sites so that he can only use the Internet to do his assignments at school.

I hope that it's not too late yet to impose on my nephew some rules regarding this. I read some cases wherein kids need medical treatment already for having gaming or internet or computer addiction. I feel sad every time I think about this. I wish my sister will be stronger this time.

lantern display at the marina floating platform

2010-02-21T14:32:00.000-08:00

we went to the chinese new year's lantern display at the floating platform the other night and we really enjoyed the displays. gab had a lot of photos taken.

they showcased lanterns including the god of fortune and the 12 signs of the chinese zodiac. we experienced catching confetti from the god of fortune and it was really fun joining the crowd to catch some confetti.

when we arrived home, i immidiately posted the pictures on facebook and while we were viewing the photos, we saw again how fast gab is growing. he lost a little weight and became taller. maybe it's because he's been dancing a lot lately. probably i should start dancing with him because i see that it is effective. LOL.

here are some of the pictures.

The Basketball Superstar

2010-02-11T03:58:00.001-08:00

His dad captured a very nice photo of Gab... Look how fast he's growing! Time flies!!

I love looking at this picture again and again.

Fat burning tips needed!

2010-02-05T15:52:00.000-08:00

How come there are people who eat a lot and yet they do not gain weight at all? It's just so unfair! LOL. I've been battling against weight gain for who knows how long and it distresses me much more to see sexy people eating to the content of their hearts without worrying about getting flabs! Especially when I see them drown themselves in sweet treats. I envy them so much.

I feel muscle pain around my belly as I write and here comes my friend messaging me that she wants to gain 10 pounds more! I think it's time for me to try diet products to help my ever so inconsistent exercise habits. I tried the Tae Bo CD that a friend gaev me and I just can't follow everything. I've seen a lot of products, one of them is the Promedis. I guess I should take things easy. Will try to do the Tae Bo exercise as often as I can and then decide whether I need to match it with some diet products or not.

I'm just not sure what to do now but I'll keep up. I'm certain though that I don't want losing weight to be part of my 2011 new year's resolution again.

Care to share your secrets to losing weight?

i hope gab will like mommy's cooking

2010-02-05T15:34:00.000-08:00

I have been searching kid's meal recipes since we were advised by the Doctor to control Gab's weight gain. I have found some yummy and interesting recipes already and I hope to try each of them soon. I hope Gab will like mommy's cooking.

Should we let Gab sleep on his own bed?

2010-02-05T12:24:00.000-08:00

Gab has really grown a lot. We brought him to the Doctor's clinic the other day for follow up of his check up for cough and the Doctor told us that we need to somehow control his weight gain. He's gained two kilograms within the past two months and the Doctor advised us to nail the weight to that number in order for Gab to grow taller.

We need to buy new clothes and shoes for him again. And we're thinking of getting another bed already. He still sleeps with us and when all three of us are on the bed, we cannot move and have comfortable sleep.

I've been looking around for options and I think I want to get an airbed. I saw some information on air beds that have a pump inside them and I think I can convince my husband to get one. I tried my friend's airbed and I like it. I guess it's convenient to have one at home. You can keep it when not needed and easily set it up when you have guests. In our case, I plan to buy a single airbed for Gab. We will put it inside our room and test if he's ready to sleep alone on his own bed. Then maybe later we can move him to the other room. Or if not, we can just keep it and try again after a few months.

excited to see the singapore airshow 2010 a little later today

2010-02-05T12:12:00.001-08:00

i'm excited because we will be seeing the airshow later today. we will go there with friends. we plan to see the first airshow scheduled at 11:30 am and roam around to see the displays afterwards.

we will leave the house early because we'll eat lunch early together with our friends. i'm so excited to see how gab will enjoy the show. =)

My Silent Time

2010-02-03T23:42:00.000-08:00

Before I left my previous job to make way to my full time mom career, my friends at work told me to blog. I have seen how they earned money from blogging and blogging became one of their stress outlets. I thought that if they can do it, then maybe I can, too.

They gave me a checklist on what I should do. Number one on the list was to search for webhosting providers and get myself my own domain name. Then they told me I should update my blog often. Then I should visit other blogs and get to know the people who also visit my site. They also gave me articles to read to guide me in making my own blog.

I've been blogging for quite a while now. Blogging has also become one of my stress outlets just like it did to my friends. It gives me my "silent time". It relaxes me. When I go back and read my posts, it makes me happy. Even with all the things that I need to get done at home, I try to write. Blogging reminds me that somewhere, there's a place where I can go to stop, rest and simply write.

Three youths arrested for posting racist remarks on Facebook

2010-02-03T23:27:00.000-08:00

As I open the door for my husband this morning, he handed me the newspaper on the page which says "Three youths arrested for posting racist remarks on Facebook".

Facebooking as I said has become one of my past times and so I immediately read the news post. It's not that I do such thing (like posting racist or mean remarks online) but I wanted to find out the details. Apparently, three Chinese youths, aged between 17 and 18, have been arrested for posting racist remarks on Facebook. I read on and found out that under Singapore's Sedition Act, anyone found guilty of promoting feeling of ill-will and hostility between different races can be fined up to $5000 and/or jailed up to three years if he is a first-time offender.

It's nice to know that there are certain rules that control the possible abuse that anyone can do when using the Internet.

Place for tourists

2010-02-03T23:09:00.000-08:00

My sister called me up to ask if her husband's relatives can use our extra room during their stay here in Singapore next week. There are five of them. Aside from the small space, there are no beddings enough to give them a comfortable sleep. I suggested for her to look online for cheap yet comfortable place where they can rest after a day's tiring tour.

It's not an easy thing to find a nice place to rent. When my friend moved to Bangkok, she told me that she spent weeks to find websites and newspapers with information on condo and apartment rentals in bangkok. Bangkok Condos and Apartment rentals are always seen on newspapers but finding real cheap condo rentals bangkok is difficult. It's a good thing she's settled already and she said she can call it her new home now.

I hope my sister won't find it difficult to find a place for her hubby's relatives. Do you have some info to share on this?

In the news: Toyota's US sales signals 'uphill battle'

2010-02-03T22:43:00.000-08:00

When talking about owning a car, my husband would always tell me that he wants one from Toyota. And every time, I would always tell him that whatever type of car that is, I would love to ride on it as long as he's the one driving. Later on, when I saw the Suzuki swift, I changed my mind and told him he can get whatever car he wants as long as he buys me a Suzuki Swift... a white one.

With the recent breaking news on recalled vehicles by the Japan-based carmaker, Toyota, my husband told me that it's a good thing he doesn't have money yet to buy a car! LOL.

News said that more than 7.6 million vehicles worldwide have been recalled by Toyota for defects linked to sudden acceleration. The said carmaker faces US congressional hearings and a rising number of product liability lawsuits.

I wonder if I can spot the Toyota defect because my passengers always complain about sudden acceleration when I drive. LOL! I got to learn how to drive smoothly if my hubby will later buy me a Swift! =)

Backed up the files

2010-02-03T22:34:00.000-08:00

I just finished backing up the files on the laptop. It's part of the regular maintenance that we do to keep the laptop's performance okay. It's a good thing that my husband bought a hard drive 1tb during the IT show at Suntec City last year. Before, I needed to discard similar looking pictures but now, I'm so happy I can save all the photos without worrying about the available memory space that we got.

She got hired fast!

2010-02-03T22:28:00.000-08:00

My friend got a job at the Marina Bay Sands Singapore. It was a very fast employment hiring process. She was very lucky to pass the resume on Thursday last week, got interviewed Monday and will sign the employment contract today. Even she could not believe that she'll be working soon.

For job hunters, here is their website!
Marina Bay Sands Singapore

I should watch him watch the TV

2010-01-26T10:55:00.000-08:00

I'm glad that Gab watches other cartoon movies and TV programs now. Since his Dad subscribed for a cable TV account, he forgot about his Barney, Bob the Builder, Sesame Street and Dora CDs. It was good timing because the CDs got scratches already that's why we cannot watch them without Gab throwing tantrums when the CDs stop.

The service that we got is not the one that has digital tv recorders but we sure enjoy it.

Gab learns when watching. He dances a lot and imitates what he sees. I know I should be more attentive to him now because letting Gab watch TV shows exposes him more than just by watching the educational CDs.

See you at the Singapore Airshow 2010!

2010-01-22T00:19:00.000-08:00

Hubby told me that we're going to the Singapore Airshow 2010! It's a weeklong event that's going to happen on February 2-7, 2010 at the Changi Exhibition Centre. The first 4 days are exclusively for trade attendees while the final 2 weekend days are open to public.

He already got the tickets for February 6. I can't wait to see how Gab will be really amazed with the number of airplanes that he will see. I can't wait to catch his jaw fall down when he looks up to watch the Flying Display!

For more information about the event, you may go to this link!

See you there!

cough and runny nose, run away!!!

2010-01-20T17:33:00.000-08:00

we skipped class yesterday. gab has runny nose and cough. i wanted to send him to school but his dad was worried that gab might cry a lot if i leave him because he's not feeling well. i just let him watch the TV and Bolt Dog the movie on the laptop all day yesterday and yes he had a nice rest. his breathing was not very good so i forced him to take the medicine and nebulised him when he was asleep.

been busy the past few days. the beach walk was fun. gab had a great time playing with sand. mom and dad enjoyed the breakfast i packed. it was fun. i hope there'll be more weekends at the beach. so i hope gab will get well soon. don't want him to miss more classes. as i write, i'm outside their classroom. i guess i'll stay here the whole time just in case the teacher calls.

i want to go to the beach

2010-01-15T13:04:00.000-08:00

my hubby is doing his weekend support on sunday night again. we will not have time to go out on that day because he will need to get sleep to be prepared for his night work.

it's 5 in the morning and i still don't feel like going back to bed. i had pretty long sleep before gab woke me up at aroun two to ask for milk.

gab is a big boy. he already knows how to wake me up if he needs something. the other day, he woke me up saying "meee, wee wee" because the diaper was full.

anyway, going back to wanting to go to the beach... i'm thinking of not going back to sleep anymore and prepare some food and our stuff so that when my boys wake up, we are ready to leave and we'll have fun at the beach. =) i hope i won't feel sleepy soon or when we're at the beach.

Marriages should last a life time.

2010-01-15T10:51:00.000-08:00

Four years ago when we decided to got married, we only had four months to get all the preparations done. My husband’s sister announced to us mid part of 2005 that they’re getting married in 2006. To avoid the “Sukob” thing (that my husband and I do not really mind but we’re sure to hear a lot of negative comments from a lot of oldies in our ever so Filipino family), we decided to get married that year. Aside from the limited time that we had, we were also on a very limited budget. Although shorter time to prepare for wedding results to less fretfulness (because you will only have little time to be wasting some on your negative feelings), it has a not-so-good side effect of not having the chance to scout for better yet cheaper options.

The two major expenses that I thought I would not limit the quality because of a limited budget were on Wedding albums and wedding rings. I thought that the Wedding album is our treasure because it will remind us of the smiles on our faces when we happily tied the knot and it should last until we have children and grand children and great grand children; the wedding ring should be good enough to last on our fingers forever.

So yes, these two were among the major expenses that we had during the wedding. The list also included the food and the wedding gowns and barongs that we used for us and the entourage.

The Wedding album turned out pretty good. So far, the pictures are fine and we have Gab already. Let's wait and see when the grand children and great grand children are here. LOL.

Just this weekend, we went to our friend’s house and they showed us their Photobook when they got married June last year. Wow!!! It was really beautiful. Now I will confess that I’m really not sure about our wedding album, but, this one that they got will surely be seen by their great grand children! It was nicely laid out and the materials were scratch and water proof. It's as if you are really looking at a book with a very interesting love story and very charming characters!

When getting married, I believe that it’s okay to spend a little more on those two that I mentioned. Marriages should last a life time. If a couple gets to have another wedding album, it should be because they got married again to renew their vows. And for the ring, there should only be one. I am pretty sure that if I’m reading these pages many years later, I will still have this wedding ring on. I hope all marriages last, all our marriages.

green day's basket case

2010-01-12T07:19:00.000-08:00

green day is performing live at the singapore indoor stadium on the 14th of january. wow, i wish i can come to watch. i remember enjoying their music way back in high school. i became friends with the anarchy band (local band in bicol) and one of the band musics that they often play are those of green day's.

i know i'll still enjoy listening to their kind of music. only that i'm not sure if my baby will like it. i think when he grows a little bigger, he will also like listening to these kinds of music.

one of the songs i like is the "Basket Case"

Do you have the time
To listen to me whine
About nothing and everything
All at once
I am one of those
Melodramatic fools
Neurotic to the bone
No doubt about it

Sometimes I give myself the creeps
Sometimes my mind plays tricks on me
It all keeps adding up
I think I'm cracking up
Am I just paranoid?
Am I just stoned?

I went to a shrink
To analyze my dreams
She says it's lack of sex
That's bringing me down
I went to a whore
He said my life's a bore
So quit my whining cause
It's bringing her down

Sometimes I give myself the creeps
Sometimes my mind plays tricks on me
It all keeps adding up
I think I'm cracking up
Am I just paranoid?
Uh, yuh, yuh, ya

Grasping to control
So I better hold on

Sometimes I give myself the creeps
Sometimes my mind plays tricks on me
It all keeps adding up
I think I'm cracking up
Am I just paranoid?
Am I just stoned?

backpack for gab

2010-01-11T00:42:00.000-08:00

gab has a new backpack. we went to tita liza's house last weekend because she said she has a present for gab that we need to pick up. she cooked spaghetti ang gellatin that gab (and his mom and dad) enjoyed. we spent a few hours at their place eating, watching TV and chit chatting while dad was busy copying movies from tito rj's computer.

gab likes his bag. when we went to school today, he used it and he was so proud to have the bag. mom is very happy.

thanks tito rj and tita liza. =)

Have a great day ahead!

2010-01-08T15:24:00.000-08:00

I usually wake up early during Saturday mornings because it's my schedule for buying groceries and stuff we will need for the coming week. It’s been an hour since I woke up yet I’m still in front of the computer looking at pictures on FaceBook and waiting for people to get online on Yahoo Messenger.

I feel very lazy going out today. Gab and his dad are still sleeping. Maybe I should start moving because when they wake up, we should have breakfast and get ready to go out and get Gab a haircut.

I hope we all have a great day ahead!

Got a health insurance for your family yet?

2010-01-08T15:13:00.000-08:00

My husband and I have been thinking a lot lately about getting health insurance for our family. When we were in the Philippines, our employers were the one who arrange for our health and dental insurance. When my husband started working here in Singapore, he did not get a health card but they have health insurance benefits. Only that, when he needs to see a doctor, he will pay for the consultation and reimburse the amount from his office.

I searched online for information on health insurance and came across United Health One Reviews. There are other companies but this one provides quite an affordable health insurance package for families.

It is always our hope that our family stays healthy but there are times when sickness strikes and expenses are incurred. If we have this health insurance, then there's no need to worry about such possibilities.

Perhaps I will make some few more calls by the start of this week and we're all set to get one for ourselves.

another baby is coming!!!

2010-01-07T18:27:00.000-08:00

My sister-in-law is having another baby! This is going to be their fifth and I’m so happy for them. Babies are blessing and families with more kids tend to have more fun. I’m not saying that families with only one child or two cannot be as happy as those with a lot, but, I’m pretty sure that with just the numbers, families with more kids are more vigorous and alive and energetic!!

Gab is going to be a kuya soon! I’m excited to go out and get some baby clothes when they are on sale so that we'll have something to give the baby as a welcome gift! Will wait until we know if it's a boy or a girl!

kuya: older male relative such as brother, cousin or friend

Kids have different talents and they should find out

2010-01-07T03:23:00.000-08:00

When my niece and her family came over to our place last holidays, she showed us some videos that they uploaded in YouTube. Those were videos of their activities at school. Some contests they've joined and won. Shows they participated in and projects they have worked with. They told us the history of each of the videos and how they divided the work to accomplish such a good job.

Non-academic activities can really bring out the talents that the students have. My niece also showed us the draft of the t-shirt design that really looked like a professional logo design. It was an original design she created for their class.

I believe that kids have different talents and that there should be activities like what their school have in order to bring out those potentials.

Gab has improved a bit. He did not cry all throughout his class today. He still cried but not all throughout the two hours. I’m pretty sure that he will get used to going to the playgroup. I wonder what talents he will have when he grows bigger. I just wish that the schools where I'll be sending him will have the right approach to encourage kids to acknowledge and develop their talents.

bloghopping is fun and refreshing

2010-01-07T01:45:00.000-08:00

i've been ignoring my growling tummy for more than an hour now. gab is asleep and will wake up anytime soon. i've been busy blog hopping since early this afternoon.

it's so nice to have time to visit your friend's website. i learned a lot today from bloghopping. it also relaxes me to read about personal experiences that other bloggers like me share when they write.

good for me someone thought of blogging. being a busy full time mom, there's a great need for diversion so as to prevent stress brought about by the never ending routine. wait, i'm not complaining! i'm merely stating the reason why there has to be a diversion. =)

got to go and get some snacks before gab wakes up!

I wonder if an aircon will convert the stock room into a home office.

2010-01-05T17:43:00.000-08:00

My husband works for a bank as an IT guy. They do programming and support. With his current post, they do software support. Another team is doing the software development. People doing the support requires knowledge in development and troubleshooting. And people doing the support job requires 24/7 coverage. Thus they have shiftings chedules and weekend support assignments.

Last weekend, my husband did weekend support. Before Gab and I came here, he never had problems doing it because he can sit anywhere he wants and he can work. Now that we're here, he cannot work fine with Gab pulling him away from the computer and calling him to play.

I thought that maybe it would be nice to set up a home office. Aside from the spare room that we got, there's a stock room in the place that we got. The problem is there's no window for ventilation. I need to research if it's possible to put aircondition in the room even when there's no external access to it. I know that there are portable aircondition units. I wonder if it will be comfortable working there but for now, my husband will be staying in the other room evrytime he needs to do his weekend support assignment.

I hope Gab stops crying.

2010-01-05T17:39:00.000-08:00

Gab is crying again. I can hear him from the waiting area. He was okay when I brought him to the class last Monday. But a classmate snatched the toy that he was playing with and that’s when the crying started. Gab is not used to playing with other kids. He plays with me and mommy never snatches his toys. I even give him more toys. (I wonder if I should have tried snatching some of his toys before.. just for the sake of explaining to him that sharing is also fun. Perhaps I’ll do that with my next baby or maybe Gab will do that for me.)

The playgroup is okay. It’s a two hour session from Mondays thru Fridays. Classes start at nine in the morning. When they enter the room, temperature is taken and they are asked to wash their hands with sanitizer. Then they will put their bags and water bottles on a table where everyone else leaves their things. Next comes play time until ten. Keeping the toys end their playtime and then they will be asked to line up to wash their hands with water as preparation for their eating time. When they go back to their seats, they are told to put their hands on their lap while food is given to them on their own plates. Teacher asks them not to touch the plate until they are told to do so. I guess its discipline and patience training, eh?
After eating time, they are told to put away their plates and then singing and watching starts.

So far, those are the activities that they have. I’m not sure when they will start doing other activities. All I know is that they are training the kids for now to remain in the classroom and learn how to follow instructions and get used to being left by their moms or grandmas or nannies. I hope that Gab will be over his crying and looking for mommy problem by the time they start with another set of activities.

Can you share your experience when you sent your toddler to school or playgroup the first time?

Better be sure about something

2010-01-03T01:39:00.000-08:00

I know a lot of people who feel very uncomfortable when the word insurance is mentioned. I worked as an insurance agent for a few months and all throughout that period; I've seen how I myself reacted to the word insurance when I was younger. Before I got married, I did not like being approached about insurance. When I started working, my sister was connected to an insurance company and she told me that I should get one for myself. I never bothered looking at the paper that she handed me. When I got married, there was a time when my husband and I talked about it and we thought that it's just right to get one for ourselves.

There are a lot of different kinds of insurance. Life insurance, car insurance, Motor Trade Insurance, property insurance, etc. We got life insurance for ourselves and before Gab turned two, we also got a policy for him.

If you are a person who does not like talking about it with an agent because you think they will not stop until you sign that form, I suggest that you do your own reading. Search online for different insurance companies. Know their profile and study their products. You sure will find one that will fit your need and budget.

Once I did not think I should waste my time in it. But when I realized that I'm not sure what will happen to me or to my loved ones, I thought that it's better to be sure about something... and that is the insurance that we got.

Gab watched UP movie for the nth time

2010-01-03T01:24:00.000-08:00

Gab watched the movie UP again. As I said, I already lost count of how many times he's already watched it.

It's a very nice love story. I especially like it because Carl have always remembered the promise he made to Ellie. I think it's a nice movie to watch. It's a movie telling us that we should value even the smallest promises that we make and stop making excuses by saying "Promises are meant to be broken".

I like it when Ellie was showing her adventure book to Carl.

Ellie: When I get big, I'm going where he's going... South America! It's like America, but it's south!!!

Have you watched it?

Maybe I'll try it sometime to better understand how it works.

2010-01-03T00:54:00.000-08:00

I have never really paid attention every time my husband explains to me how p2p sharing works. And because I do not completely get it, I have never really tried using it myself. The only thing that registered to me was that if you download files, you also share that bit of file that you have already downloaded. So basically, as soon as you have a chunk of that file already, you also become a source. And everyone else doing the same are both downloading and sharing the file that they want.

From what I've read, using Torrents Search and Download is advantageous especially when downloading large files that are momentarily popular because a lot of people are downloading it. And as I understood from my husband’s explanation, the more people trying to download it, the more speed for everybody trying to get that specific file. Because the more people are downloading, the more people are providing the file also.

Now that I have more understanding about how it works, then maybe I will use this when there are files that I need to download. And after that, perhaps I will know well than what I have written now. It's always best to understand how things work after you try it instead of merely reading about it.

Feeling a bit anxious

2010-01-03T00:47:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow is Gab's first day at school. I'm both excited and anxious. Luckily, my husband is doing weekend work from home tonight so he will not report to work tomorrow. We will both send Gab to school on his first day.

I hope that we will not have problems with the schedule. i hope that waking up early won't be difficult for Gab. Usually he wakes up around the time when he's expected to attend the playgroup session. Now, I will need to send him to bed early and wake him up the following if I need to. I hope this will not cause him to dislike going to school. Gab really hates being disturbed when he's sleeping. In the morning and especially in the afternoon when he's having his siesta.

Wait for more posts. Will let you know Gab's progress.... and that of his mom also. =)

How should I do it?

2010-01-02T11:25:00.000-08:00

Writing a list of New Year’s resolution has always been very easy for me. Why? It's because there are entries that have been there for more than a decade now. Implementing them is what's difficult.

I think if you've been reading my posts, it won't be difficult for you to guess what's on the top list? With all the sweets and fats that I ate during the Christmas holidays plus the "pre-existing condition" - you know what I mean! LOL. It's getting the flabs out!!! Again!

Running is a good exercise that is very effective when I need to lose some pounds. Now I don't think running would be enough because I did not gain too much weight but my tummy looks like I'm a few months pregnant. I remember my nephew asking me "Is Gab having a little brother or sister soon, Auntie?" Arghhhh! I can see my husband's grin when he reads this. I guess he gave loads of chocolates for my nephew to ask me that question.

Doing sit ups is effective when I was younger. After I gave birth, I had problems doing sit ups because I suffer from severe back pains when I do it. I tried drinking slimming tea but I experienced palpitation.

Now what should I do?

Can someone give me tips so I don't have to resort to Liposuction? Promise I'll tell the results if you share your secrets. =)

yummy breaded shrimp

2010-01-02T11:08:00.000-08:00

I just got a mesage from my friend asking how I prepared the breaded shrimp that we had last Christmas. Her husband liked it and is now asking her to prepare it for him. It's so easy, here's how.

1. de-shell the shrimp
2. add salt and pepper to taste
3. roll the shrimp on flour
4. dip in beaten egg
5. roll in bread crumbs
6. dip fry

Yummy!!!

Movie time

2010-01-02T10:16:00.001-08:00

Recently, I have been watching a lot of movies. The previous tenant of the house left plenty of DVDs and the movies are really interesting. Some are of famous celebrities and some are not that known but the films that I watched so far are all great. Gab also likes one of the DVDs, the cartoon movie UP. I already lost count of the number of times he watched it but I'm so happy to know that Gab can now watch a complete movie without asking me to change it with his Barney or Bob the Builder CDs.

Gab will start attending his playgroup this Monday and I will be very busy adjusting my schedule to give way to the chores and the two-hour daily sessions that he needs to attend to. Then I will have lesser time to spend on movie time. But maybe I can watch while waiting. With the amount of DVDs that they've got here, I'm far from running out of movies to watch. I just wish that the previous tenant will remember what she forgot to bring after I'm done with all the nice pictures to see or I might start reading about how Torrents Search and Download works.

the thought keeps me awake

2010-01-02T10:07:00.000-08:00

People who know me might be wondering already why I'm still awake even after writing several posts for today. My normal threshold stays only up to the third or fourth. LOL.

Well friends, there's something that's making me stay awake. If we're really very close to each other, you probably know already what I'm talking about.

If we're not that close (but then again at least we are), then I can only say that there's something really very important to me and my husband that we're about to give up. It also concerns Gab; not yet now but in the future. Maybe later, when the decision is final, I can share the details here. But for now, I'll just let it keep me awake.

Gab and Zoe opened Christmas presents together.

2010-01-02T09:38:00.001-08:00

I have yet to visit one more close friend here in Singapore. It's so nice to be reunited with friends whom you lost contact with for quite some time. Last Christmas eve, we spent time at one of my best friend's house. We got invited because my friend understood that it would not be too exciting for Gab to open Christmas presents alone. (My friend knows because she also has only one baby.)

We brought crema de fruta and shrimp tempura. My friend cooked spaghetti and fried chicken. There was wine and a lot of chips and chocolates. The food looked and tasted even better because they were laid on the cosy and contemporary dining room furniture that my friend has at their place. We were one big happy family feasting and celebrating the holidays.

After eating noche buena, Gab and his baby sister Zoe exchanged gifts... opened them and started playing with their new toys. They ate plenty of chocolates and candies. It sure was better that Gab was with another baby on Christmas Eve. They shared toys. They watched Barney together. Nice photos were taken.

When the babies slept, the daddies had wine and the moms had chips and chit chats.

Gab is a school boy on Monday!

2010-01-02T09:30:00.000-08:00

I can't believe Gab has grown up this much. He's two years and more than two months now and he's going to be a school boy on Monday!!!

Well, it's not really formal school. I enrolled Gab to join the playgroup at the next block. It's a lot of play and a little academics. I'm so excited to see Gab interact with the other kids. I am so excited to find more progress in the way he plays and does things and talks and a lot of other developments that moms and dads see in their ever fast growing kids.

At first, I was doubting if Gab is ready to be sent to this playgroup. But as the days go by, I'm becoming more and more certain that it's the right thing to do. Check this out!

After finding the right size, he did not want to take off the uniform anymore so he played and went home on it.

Thanks to my friends who always share tips on how they raise their kids. Thanks to the people who support us in playing a very tough but exciting role as parents to Gab.

Got to get a new bed for the other room!

2010-01-02T09:10:00.000-08:00

Ouch, I got bruises on the back of my left leg. I was playing with Gab and his dad at the other room when the bed broke down. It's a single bed that no one has ever really used; we requested for an extra bed for the spare room and it was the one that our landlord provided. We were all sitting on it and playing for some time already when I decided to go out and prepare our lunch. I put down my left foot first and then I felt something painful. I screamed, Gab got scared and he cried profusely. Luckily, Gab was sitting at the middle of the bed. He did not get hurt.

My husband told me that it's either because of my weight or the poor quality of that bed. Of course I'm convinced that it's not a nice and safe bed. And my husband is convinced otherwise but he's just trying to be nice. (Oh my, I remembered my new year's resolution again!)

We plan to share the house with someone soon and we're glad this accident happened this early. We'll have enough time to look at stores with nice and not so expensive beds. We're glad that our future housemate won't go through a shocking experience like this. We were really shocked that the bed collapsed. And Gab was more shocked to find himself on the floor after a big bang!

Could she be denying our friendship?

2010-01-02T08:15:00.000-08:00

I have this friend from grade school. We were very close until we lost contact some few years ago. Since I moved to Manila for our board exam review, I never got the chance to catch up with her. I just heard that she got married and that she already has kids and that some few years ago, she was nowhere anyone of us (her friends) could reach.

I felt very excited when I found out one day that she got herself a Facebook account. I sent a friend request along with a message that I miss her and that I've been trying to find ways on how I can talk to her.

It's been months now and she hasn't confirmed our friendship. Is she too busy to click on the accept button? Could it be that she never accessed her account since the day I tried to add her as my friend?

I'd like to think that I'm being overly emotional and that she's really not denying our friendship. But, I feel sad. How would you feel if I were you?

Mayweather vs. Pacquiao tickets for you!

2010-01-02T07:09:00.000-08:00

I wish that someone will surprise me one day before March 13, 2010 and tell me, "Pacquiao vs. Mayweather tickets for you!"

My husband and I would really love to go to Pacman's next fight. If it would cost something that we can afford, we would really love to go. But just to be sure of a bigger chance to see it live, we'll start praying for someone to say to us, "Mayweather vs. Pacquiao ticket/s for you!" LOL.

We are fans of Pacquiao. When Pacman has a fight, we would normally gather in one house with my siblings and friends and watch the fight together. We've seen some of Mayweather's fights also and I'm guessing that this "Biggest Fight Ever" will be difficult for both of them. I don't have a guess as to who will win because both of them are champions. I'm praying though that Pacman will bring down the "Money".... and bring home the pride.

I can't imagine how more exciting and fun it would be to see the two great boxers fight live at the MGM Grand Arena. Well, I don't know how I'm going to watch the fight, but, what I'm sure is that I will not miss it.

i love the beach... it's oh so relaxing

2010-01-01T17:02:00.000-08:00

last night was a fun night to celebrate some time with friends. we had picnic at the east coast park here in singapore and it was really fun. i have always wanted to bring gab to a beach because i want him to experience walking inthe sand and soaking his feet wet with salt water. when we first brought him to sentosa, i did not have much time to let him play with the sand because we were only there at the siloso beach to eat lunch. we had a lot of shows to see when we went there. at the siloso beach, gab did not enjoy the sand. instead, he was a little uncomfortable that he stayed all the time on his stroller.

last night i was so happy that we spent hours of playing and running on the sand. at first, gab looked funny because when we took off his shoes, he stayed for several minutes on where he was standing. he couldn't move a leg. LOL. later on when he saw RD (our friend's kid) running and enjoying building mountains out of the sand, he started walking and then he ran and then he played with the sand.

i love sitting and eating by the seashore. it's relaxing for me. maybe now that i know the place, we will go there often.

my sister's friend needs information about 22 Inch TV

2009-12-29T18:47:00.000-08:00

I'm so jealous. We visited three friends over the weekend and they all got LCD TVs. My sister also asked me to search for websites where she can find prices and reviews of 22 Inch TV because one of her friends who also works as a nurse in the UK is planning to buy one. Could it be that I'm seeing all these LCD TVs in their houses and I'm hearing news about more people buying their own unit because it's time to get one for myself also? LOL. I can hear my husband saying "keep trying" with a grin on his face.

I wish I can get one also. But, there are some more important things that we need to proritize. And, I understand.

celebrating my fourth year being a happy wife

2009-12-29T17:30:00.000-08:00

We just celebrated our fourth wedding anniversary a couple of days ago and I’m so glad that we (my husband and I) are both joyful and contented. When we got married, we were very happy that we’re at last one in everything. Little did we know that there really are a lot of ups and downs. We were too proud to say that it all depends on how much two people love each other. We did not realize that we have differences yet to be discovered and that there are people around us who will add challenge to our relationship. We’re just as glad that we have managed to pass through all the trials for four years. And, we are praying that everything will be just as fine in the years to come.

I think I found the house plan that I've been wanting to build

2009-12-29T17:07:00.000-08:00

This is a sponsored post written by Gab's Mom.

I mentioned before that my husband found a new place because Gab and I are staying with him for good. The house that he got is clean but it’s so simple and dull. I thought that maybe if we’ll find ideas on how to set it up so that the place will look exciting and somewhat stylish, we’ll enjoy the place better. I found great information in one website and they got thousands of house plans and home plans. Can someone tell me how I can earn extra dollars? I think I want to build a house when we go home to the Philippines. =)

new year's resolution

2009-12-29T03:21:00.000-08:00

gab and i had ice cream and fried meat loaf for snack earlier. gab saw the left over meat loaf from our breakfast and asked me for it. but since i was eating ice cream when he went out of the room after his siesta, he also asked me to give him some ice cream.

i think i'm feeling nervous again... we're getting bigger and bigger.. could losing weight be on my new year's resolution list again? yay, when will it ever leave my list? LOL.

my sister got a new 22 LCD TV that Gab will surely enjoy

2009-12-29T00:20:00.000-08:00

My sister told me that they got another 22 LCD because my nephews fight over the first LCD TV that they got. All four kids want to get their own 22 LCD in each of their rooms. As much as my sister would like to buy one for each of the kids, she said it would cost her a lot and it will mean a lot of overtime work.

I told my husband that it would be nice to get an LCD TV also especially that Gab likes watching a lot. He will enjoy more because of the wider screen display and the better picture and sound quality. My husband said we can look around for info on which brand to get but it’s just not time yet. I wonder when it’s time. LOL.

all i needed was a soothing warm bath

2009-12-14T23:38:00.000-08:00

it's so funny when you realize after a soothing warm bath that you were acting as though every one around you was trying to spoil your day when in fact it was all you who is being so unreasonable.

getting up in the morning is not so nice when you feel pain all over your body. i've been carrying gab a lot lately because he's been all grumpy since he had his fever for almost a week. even now that he's okay already, he still asks me to carry him from time to time... especially when he wants to sleep. he lacked sleep during the time that he was sick that's why he's trying to get as much sleep as he can now. he's more than 20 kilos and anyone would lose breath carrying him for long hours.

last night before going to sleep, my husband told me to wake him up early so that he can go for a 30-minute jogging. and so i woke him up early and he told me he's still very sleepy to get up. i got so irritated that i told him not to ever ask me again to wake him up early to exercise because he will never exercise anyway. i heard "what's wrong with you?" the bad mood day started early today.

and all throughout the day... i heard maybe three or four more "what's wrong with you?" from people i love. then i thought, "yeah, what's wrong with me?"

took a warm bath... sent sorry SMS. it was something like "i'm so sorry to upset you. it was late when i realized i needed a warm bath. Again, sorry."

they all understood and said next time they'll ask "do you need a warm bath?" instead of "what's wrong with you?"

that's why i love these people. =)

we need an aircon for the other room

2009-12-13T20:45:00.000-08:00

After four months of sharing a flat with my brother's friend, my husband decided to get his own place because he wants me and my baby to stay here with him. He did not want us to share the place because my baby is growing fast and he needs a place where he can play around and go around whenever he wants. A place where we can accommodate his tantrums and a place where we can encourage his curiousness. my brother's friend is nice to us but that's the problem in sharing a house with someone who's not a friend or a relative... you can't move freely because you want to be very considerate you'd limit your access to the place.

Having a place of your own is very expensive here in Singapore. I don't know but for me, it's way too expensive. good thing we know someone close to us who also works here and we plan to talk to him so that if he has plans of moving, we can share the place. It’s always better when you are confident with the person you'll be sharing the house with. You can be considerate in a relaxed manner. LOL.

If he decides to join us, we only need to buy an aircon unit for his room. We already scouted for the best places to get one. My husband said it's very important to know the A/C compressor specs in order to buy the most suitable unit for the size of room where we will install it. Although most of the places for rent here are fully furnished, the place that we got is semi furnished. It’s cheaper than the other places that we saw but we need to shell out cash if there's a need to buy some appliances.

less worried now

2009-12-09T16:51:00.000-08:00

i'm less worried now. we had gab checked by a doctor last night and we were given suppository for his fever instead of oral medicine. the doctor gave it because i told her that it is very difficult to give oral medicine to gab. since we gave him the first bullet, he did not have very high fever. the doctor said it's a viral fever and that we just need to wait for the fever to pass. she said that rashes may appear after the fever is gone and that we should not worry about it.

the doctor said this has nothing to do with pneumonia and that gab's lungs are pretty clear.

gab is still sleeping as i write this. i hope his fever would go away completely now...

p.s. thanks sexyjessie for your advice and concern. it means a lot.

get well gab

2009-12-09T02:45:00.000-08:00

i'm so worried about my kid. he's got fever again. he does not want to take his medicine. week before we went back here in singapore with his dad, gab got confined in the hospital due to pneumonia. he was admitted because he does not want to take his medicines and his fever was on and off. he also did not want to eat. he was slightly dehydrated when we brought him to the hospital.

i am praying so hard that this time, his fever is not in anyway related to the pneumonia findings (i'm hopeful because this time he doesn't have cough or colds). i hope that he will get well already. i can't sleep at night and during the day even if i feel very sleepy already because i'm monitoring his body temperature and i want to observe him for any other symptoms.

i'm just waiting for my husband. after office, we'll have gab checked at a nearby clinic.

Santa Claus

2009-12-01T18:44:00.000-08:00

Gab and I just finished watching clips about Santa Claus on www.youtube.com . I decided to let him see those pictures and video clips because Christmas is fast approaching. He sure will see a lot of Santas on the streets and malls. I hope that this time, Gab will not be scared anymore. Last Christmas when we went to Enchanted Kingdom, Gab cried when Santa started to do the "Ho Ho Ho, Merry Christmas" thing. LOL

Who is Santa anyway?

When I was young, I just knew that Santa is a Christmas character. And, he's the one putting toys, chocolates, money and presents that we wish for in stockings that we hang on the Christmas tree on the Christmas eve. He's the one who sees us when we do things that we're not supposed to do. That's his basis of whether we will have an empty stockings or not. Then, one fogy Christmas eve, my brother accidentally opened my mom's drawer and found a lot of chocolates and presents. The following morning, we saw those presents in our Christmas stockings. So I thought Santa is not real. Then the line, "Santa will not give your wishes if you don't do as you're told" was not effective anymore. And then my parents found different ways that worked.

Now that I've grown a little matured, ehem, I have come to realize that Santa is a symbol of love... of giving. We give a lot when we love. And when we love, we give even if we know no one's giving something in return.

While talking to a friend (a mom of a boy who's 3 years older than Gab), she asked me if we will let Gab believe in the "Santa" who sees him when he's naughty or nice and I did not know what to say. I think that I will. But I guess I'll also tell him that Santa doesn't expect a gift in return but he might want to consider it. (Maybe I'll just tell him to let mommy take care of the shipping because he's too young to handle it. ;-)

Someone's watching

2009-11-29T17:05:00.000-08:00

I was too tired last night. I slept almost midnight. I was loaded with a lot of things to do because I only realized that the day was almost over after being on the computer for more than half the day. Sometimes, even when you know you have to prioritize some things, you still forget it when you get engrossed with things that you like doing.... like following people on Facebook and being nosy on their whereabouts; or chatting with friends talking about the things that you've already talked about for the millionth time.

I remember when I was still working. As a QA specialist, our job was to monitor the call center agent's productivity; as a senior to my QA team, my job was to monitor my unit's productivity as QAs.

There were a lot of ways to monitor productivity. But one of the best ways to do it is to use productivity monitoring software. A productivity monitoring software is installed on computers on the network and it lets you view the applications that are used on a remote computer without the need to physically go to that computer. It summarizes the amount of activities done per day by a certain staff on a certain computer. It even lets you view the actual window they are using. So you know whether they are working or not. Statistics such as the amount of time spent on work related versus non-work related activities and the screenshots that you save while the staffs are wasting time on non-work related applications can be used to back up your assessment of a person's productivity. It can also log the activities on a computer. You can later access the log and still get the summary of time spent on a per application basis. Another good thing about this software is that you won't get noticed while using it. People get caught big time when they don't know that someone is watching them. On the other hand, you can also inform them that there is such software that can capture the activities on their computer while they are logged in. Making them aware that someone might watch them anytime already prevents them from doing things that will intervene with their productivity. This software is also one of the best tools to use when you want to identify coaching opportunities because you get to observe how a person does his job. It will help you identify areas where a person needs help in order to maximize his/her potentials. Such a great help when you have this productivity monitoring software.

Ah, I suddenly missed doing those sorts of things. I miss the people I used to work with also. I miss using the monitoring software... I miss being caught also by my boss. No wonder that now I can be on the internet browsing and chatting without noticing I lost half of the day already. LOL. Oh wait, I guess I gave someone (my husband) an idea... Will he monitor me after he downloads the software? =)

i can't get over the ampatuan massacre

2009-11-28T01:08:00.000-08:00

i still can't get over the gruesome way of killings that happened in ampatuan. my goodness. i searched for video clips and news articles and the more i learn about the details, the more i feel sad about the incident. only evil minds can think of those ways to kill and torture.

i hope that the truth will come out. i hope that no political attachment will cover the truth. justice should be given to the victims.

let's pray for the victims. let's pray for their families. let's pray for those who did this. and let's pray for those who will implement justice.... may they do what is right.

the reason: duplicate files

2009-11-27T01:42:00.000-08:00

It's so relaxing to write about things you want to write about when the laptop is not acting up. Few weeks ago, our laptop started to slow down and it irritates us to use it. We found out it was because the memory was almost eaten up by a lot of files that we have saved. We realized that it's been almost half a year since we last organized. We used to back up and transfer files to our external hard drive regularly until we became very busy (or too lazy) recently. We found a lot of files stored in our system and we were just lucky enough to have found a duplicate files software that came handy in cleaning up the laptop's memory.

We thought of keeping the duplicate files software in our system so that it will be easy for us to clean up the computer's memory. We also agreed to run a regular clean up of the files that we store on the computer. I hope that we will be religious enough to follow the schedule. This laptop is helping us a lot. It's not always nice to use one that runs like a turtle... or one that couldn't run at all.

Life is full of surprises

2009-11-27T01:23:00.000-08:00

Being a full time mom (or dad) is not as simple as many people would think. A lot of challenges come in and out. Sometimes you will not believe how you've managed all of them.

I'm just lucky there's a place like this where you can go and visit and spend time to get diversion. Sometimes you'll even get surprises when you open your page. Like now, I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw the green shade on the tiny icon at the bottom of my page. HAH! I'm so happy. Suddenly I felt excited and I started writing.

I can't wait until my hubby hears about it. =)

Going back to the days when listening to music and playing computer games are fun!

2009-11-27T01:03:00.000-08:00

Listening to music and playing computer games are two things that my husband and I used to enjoy when we have spare time until our very charming baby came. Hahaha. Now that Gab is a little big already and he can be asked to stay on his play area for longer than we expected, we can resume with those past times. Searching for music and games and films that can be downloaded for free is not very easy. Sometimes, you've waited long enough only to find out that the file is not complete. Well, maybe the search is over. Just found these free torrents that look simple and useful. I tried some free downloads and wow, I really guess the search is over. Looking for free torrents can be very difficult sometimes. But when it's your lucky day, you'll find one that's as useful as the free torrents that I just tried.

no citrus fruits when you have allergic cough

2009-11-27T00:00:00.000-08:00

i thought that when you have colds or cough, it's best to eat citrus fruits. i was told that what i have always known is wrong.

i've been terribly coughing since four days ago so i decided to see a doctor last night. the doctor told me that my cough sounds like an allergic i never experienced nebulising or taking puff medicines, thank God.

maybe, just maybe, i became sensitive and caught cough because i was tired for the past weeks. aside from the medicines that i was asked to take, i was advised to avoid citrus fruits and peanuts and eggs or the allergy will worsen. what will i do with the loads of citrus fruits that i just bought heh?

will get halloween costumes for Gab next year!

2009-11-26T23:33:00.000-08:00

It’s really nice to see kids in their Halloween costumes. When I was little, I did not get the chance to join Trick or Treat events or Halloween costume parties. Maybe, it was not a common event for the common people during our times. You know what I mean, maybe for the rich, they have these. But I noticed that now that there are malls in our province, they already have those sorts of activities during the Halloween.

When I started working in Manila, I got invited when one of my nieces celebrated her birthday party at the mall on the 31st of October. It was then that I saw kids walking from one stall to another in their Halloween costumes trick-or-treating! I thought it was fun. I thought to myself that when I have kids already, I will let them join Halloween parties. And I imagined shopping for my kid’s Halloween costumes. It was fun day dreaming that time.

Since I became Gab’s mom, I have never really shopped for a Halloween costume. Gab is only two and we (my husband and I) agreed that we’ll start involving Gab when he turns three. We want to save the money first until he’s big enough to enjoy things like that. We want him to experience it when he can already tell stories that he was part of those parties. For now, what we did was to let Gab watch the kids as they roam around the mall on their Halloween costumes. We let Gab watch movies and we let him see books with such costumes so that when it’s time for him to join, he won’t get scared.

Even if I need to wait for another year, I already started searching for nice Halloween costumes! I even got into one site where you can see different Sexy lace Halloween costumes. It's funny I browsed and saw some costumes that maybe applicable when Gab wouldn't want mommy to shop costumes for him. =)

ampatuan massacre

2009-11-26T17:51:00.000-08:00

it's been a while since i used the computer to see what's happening around. other than the links that i click once in a while when i sign out of my yahoo messenger, i don't always look at news websites like http://www.inquirer.net/ or http://www.cnn.com/.

a friend mentioned to me that some massacre happened in the Philippines this week but it was only today did i read about it. my heart felt as though there was something punching holes in it and the pain was just so unbearable. it saddens me when horrible things like this happen. it makes me wonder what kind of world my baby will live in after some time. it makes me worry.

i hope that the resolution of this case will put end to that kind of violence. i hope that somehow, people who are responsible will be punished and that those who are thinking of doing it will be scared to death to do it. i hope that there won't be another maguindanao/ampatuan massacre. i hope that people will think of their children before they do something this violent.

there's no place like home

2009-10-22T20:24:00.001-07:00

it's great to be back home. Gab immediately checked on his toys when we arrived home. he missed them so much. he slept at one in the morning after drawing himself tired of playing and making inventories of his toys.. LOL

his grandparents and uncles and aunts are very happy to see him again. even the neighbors are so glad Gab is back. we haven't had that much time to chat with everyone though. i've got a lot of things to attend to so that everything will be okay by the time we need to go back to his dad before Christmas.

there indeed is no place like home... we miss daddy very much though... gotta hurry and finish my errands so we ca run back to Singapore as soon as we can. =)

Gab's water fountain fun at Vivo City

2009-10-13T17:03:00.001-07:00

Aside from the playgrounds scattered everywhere, one of the fun-filled places Gab enjoys to visit are the water fountains here in Singapore.

He loves getting himself drenched... he enjoys being sprayed on... he finds so much fun as jet fountains spew water from the ground..

I wish that Gab will start to talk so that he can tell stories about his excitement and enjoyment every time we bring him to places.

Check out this video... isn't it nice and relaxing to see and hear kids giggling?

caramoan islands, wait for me

2009-10-08T21:18:00.000-07:00

check out this site. wow, what a place. i wish i can go there for a night or two. hopefully when gab grows a little bigger, we can have a family outing there. it would be a very nice getaway.

caramoan islands

a lot of my friends went there already. and i saw great pictures. they had so much fun. the place is just so fantastic!

prawns in oyster sauce

2009-09-29T16:07:00.000-07:00

i cooked prawns in oyster sauce for my husband's packed lunch today. i bet he's gonna love it.

ingredients:
1 small pc of calamansi (calamondin)
1 tbsp chopped garlic
200 grams prawns (peeled)
1 tbsp oyster sauce
water
cooking oil

1. saute garlic
2. add oyster sauce and a little water. boil
3. add the peeled prawns until the color changed
4. add calamansi juice
5. simmer until sauce is thick and prawns are cooked

you may serve with blanched pechay.

it will look like this...

(picture borrowed from my friend's site; same friend who taught me how to prepare it. thanks ryan!)

how to help those who were affected by typhoon ondoy

2009-09-27T16:36:00.000-07:00

i feel very sad browsing websites and listening to news about the typhoon ondoy. =(

i hope and pray that everyone affected by the calamity will not lose hope.

here's one link on how we can help.

http://www.redcross.org.ph/Site/PNRC/wtd.aspx

Play time at the park

2009-09-23T21:48:00.000-07:00

Gab and I spent almost two hours playing at the park opposite our block yesterday. Gab had lots of fun running and jumping and sliding and screaming with the other kids. It was in the afternoon after school hours that we went to the park. We used to go to parks in the morning but Gab did not enjoy those times because he was alone playing with his mom. Not so much fun for him, I guess. LOL.

Later we'll go to the park again. I love it when Gab enjoys his play time and when he sweats a lot. He's 20 kilos at 23 months... There's a lot to be burned.

gab and his king's crown

2009-09-23T03:30:00.000-07:00

i'm very happy that gab can identify a lot of objects already.

TV, aircon, bus, truck, table, chair, spoon, fork, car, toy, laptop, pillow, bed, bag, shoes, slippers, towel and a lot lot more.

he can identify animals.

he knows the parts of his body.

ears, nose, mouth, chin, neck, shoulders, elbows, knees, head, hair, toes, hands, eyes, cheeks, butt, tummy, etc.

he can follow simple instructions. pick up this or that. get mom's phone. keep your toys.. get this and throw this in the trash bin. etc etc.

he knows how to keep his things and which places to put them.

mom made a king's crown out of a cookie box today and gab so loved it. =)

next time i'll try other objects. i'll make him part of the construction also but i got to buy a safer pair of scissors first.

it's so amazing to see how your kid develops and how you see him apply things that you teach him. isn't it wonderful to become a parent?

i'm excited to see a lot more...

wish i have dora's backpack

2009-09-22T01:00:00.000-07:00

don't you sometimes wish that you have Dora's backpack? like sometimes when you need something and it's either hard for you to get it or you just don't feel like going out to get it... wouldn't it be nice to have her backpack of everything that you need? right now, i need leeks for the beef that i want to cook. i wish i could just shout and call for backpack.. and backpack will jump up on the air and sing....

Backpack (4 times)
I'm the Backpack
Loaded up with things and nick nacs too
Anything that you might need I got inside for you.
Backpack (4 times)
YEAH!

well, i'm not Dora and I don't have her magical backpack.. got to go to the supermarket and get some leeks...

Gab eats solid food!

2009-09-21T05:05:00.000-07:00

Only last month did Gab start to eat solid food. Yes I was busy with facebook, but I was a lot busier with cooking different kinds of food to see what Gab will like. Having him to eat solid food has been our problem. The pediatrician even suggested not giving milk and letting him starve so that he will eat solid food. But of course, I can’t do that to my baby. A friend told me that perhaps I’m not giving gab the food that he likes. And so that’s where the search for the right food started. =)

I feel very happy that the list of gab’s solid food choices have grown longer... here are some of the food that he now eats:

1. Spaghetti in red and white sauce (I put carrots and bell pepper when I cook red sauce; I put mushroom on the white sauce)
2. Mee suah soup with either chicken or pork slices
3. Macaroni soup
4. Maja blanca
5. Spam with real bacon by Hormel
6. Fried fish
7. Fried chicken
8. French fries
9. Sandwiches and hamburgers
10.Crab and corn soup
11.Century tuna
12.Omelette
13.Pancit canton (instant lucky me or prepared using yellow noodles)
14.Sandwich with Nutella spread
15.Hello panda cookies
16.Ritz crackers
17.Rice
18.Porridge (minced pork or shredded chicken)
19.Beef in mushroom sauce
20.Hotdog

There’s a lot more... I’m very happy but worried at the same time. He’s had a pretty good appetite with his solid food but the amount of milk he drinks is the same. Is that normal because he just started eating solid and his body still needs to adjust until such time that his milk intake reduces? Mean time that I’m waiting for his milk appetite to lessen, I’m bringing him outside every day for half an hour or so to walk and play... just to burn some if not all of the extra. I hope we’re on the right track. =)

been busy with facebook

2009-09-01T15:43:00.000-07:00

i have been busy using facebook to find friends and get in touch with them once again. i used to use friendster to know their whereabouts and stuff, but it seems that nowadays, most of my contacts are no longer using friendster. i wonder why. i still visit my friendster page, but just to keep track of my contacts, i signed up for facebook.

still not familiar with a lot of features of the social network site but i'm getting used to it. i enjoy looking at the old pictures. and the chat feature, i like it a lot. i get to chat and get real time replies from my friends when i see them online wherever they are.

well... guess i'm almost done searching about them... maybe i'll be back at my facebook page often to let them know about my whereabouts this time. :-)

is it true that pinays don't know their body parts and how it works?

2009-08-19T08:37:00.000-07:00

my baby went to sleep early tonight so i thought i'd read some news from back home. my eyes were caught by one of the headlines saying "Pinays don’t know their body and how it works".

so i went on and read the article. i thought while reading that really nowadays, the myths and ideas they were talking about are absurd. the article is about an online survey wherein kimberly-clark, makers of kotex and other feminine products, included women in singapore, malaysia, indonesia, vietnam, philippines and india. the kotex bodylife IQ study, which covered 1,800 women aged 12-24 from six asian countries, discovered that there was an “information gap” among young asian women when it came to knowing their body, how it works, and how to take care of it from puberty to womanhood.

according to kimberly-clark, of all the nationalities surveyed, filipinas were the most misinformed. (ouch!)

it's really funny because i know for sure that i heard the myths when i was young... specifically when i started seeing some changes in my body, the age of puberty. i guess every filipina heard them from their aunts, moms and grandparents... or even from their parent, aunt or grandma's amigas. LOL.

some of them are as follows... have a good laugh! i'm sure you'll remember you were once told about 'em... (if you took the surveys, READ! welcome to the information world!!! LOL)

For instance, 54 percent of Filipina respondents said drinking beer increases menstrual flow and 38 percent said menstrual blood applied to the face could prevent pimples.
One Filipina said that on the first day of her period, she would jump over three steps on their stairs so her menstrual flow would last only three days instead of one week.
“Some 26 percent of Filipinas believe that only men have hymens, which is why they are named as such,” the survey said. ---- ugh! this one is not funny anymore!!! hmpf!!!
The subject of virginity was also a “mass of confusion” for many Filipina respondents, with 18 percent believing they could lose their virginity by riding a bike.

P.S. for the girls: hey, you're using the internet... i'm pretty sure you don't (or at least no longer) believe in those myths.... i wonder why the respondents (who did the survey online) did not make use of the internet appropriately. ha. ha. ha.

P.S.2. i'm not sure where the respondents have been putting their time on instead of reading (both online and offline)... but for sure, most of the filipinas are already informed and they no longer belive in those myths.... they (who are learned) are just too busy doing their stuff that's why they missed the survey. LOL.

singapore kite festival - august 29&30, 2009

2009-08-19T01:49:00.000-07:00

i saw a poster like the one below while outside last weekend. we sure will go to the event because my husband does not work on weekends. i'm excited to see how gab will enjoy the colorful kites. i hope we won't get stiff neck in looking at a lot of nice kites flying. :-)

again, i'm excited. LOL. if you're anywhere near, mark this!

August 29 & 30, 2009
Saturday & Sunday
4pm - 7pm

GRAND LAWN, WEST COAST PARK
Picnic grounds open from 3:30pm.
Rain or shine event

here's a link to the website to see more details.

Is it the washing machine?

2009-08-13T09:11:00.000-07:00

Remember when I said I'll have one of the automatic washing machines on my album? I wrote it in "getting used to doing the laundry ". I said that I'd like to have a washing machine that takes care of everything from start to finish but it'just too expensive. Well, guess what? I did not buy, but I got to use one!

I'm in Singapore right now. My baby and I came here to visit his dad. That's the reason why my laundry task is no sweat. And, that's also the reason I was missing here for quite some time. A couple of weeks before we left the Philippines, I became very busy. I bought stuff for my husband. I applied for my baby's passport. I had to do a lot of things so that everything will be okay when we leave.

I like it here. I don't know if it's because this place is really nice... or it's just that I want to be with my husband.

Or, maybe it's the washing machine!!! LOL.

Arroyo did not categorically tackle a transition to a new government in her SONA?

2009-07-28T05:39:00.000-07:00

siyetehan, posted a comment that says PGMA "didn't confirm nor deny her plans after 2010." (see siyetehan's comment on my previous post).

Well, will the contents of the SONA really keep all of us waiting until 2010?

I searched for the statements that they said were the confirmation of former Presidents Aquino and Ramos and yeah, they were clear about it.

Mrs. Aquino in 1991 said "On June 30, 1992, the traditional ceremony of political succession will unfold at the Luneta. The last time it was done that way was in 1965. I shall be there with you to proudly witness the event,"

Mr. Ramos said "I will be working and governing -- you will all feel and hear and see me working and governing as your president -- until I turn over the presidency to the 13th president of the republic at high noon on 30 June 1998."

How about this for PGMA?
"At the end of this speech I shall step down from this stage, but not from the Presidency. My term does not end until next year. Until then, I will fight for the ordinary Filipino. The nation comes first. There is much to do as head of state – to the very last day."

My term does not end until next year.

Anyway, we can only wait and see. Right?

You can read the SONA here.

9th SONA of PGMA

2009-07-26T14:23:00.000-07:00

Will this really be President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo's 9th and last State of the Nation Address? I don't listen a lot to SONAs; I'm just not interested. But being the Philippine President with the longest term second to Marcos, I thought that I'd listen to her SONA today to find out if she will really push for the Charter change to lengthen her service (like what people against her are saying) .

I bet by now, a lot of protesters are already marching to the venue... or maybe most of them have already populated the vicinity rallying around the place (and some other places around the country). We were at the UP Diliman Campus yesterday to do ocular visit of the exam room for the upcoming UPCAT exam of my niece; we already saw one banner... it says, NO TO Charter Change!

I'll listen to the SONA to find out if there's gonna be another SONA coming up from her. Let's be quiet, watch and listen.

It's a nice Sunday morning.

2009-07-25T16:12:00.000-07:00

It's a nice Sunday morning. The sun is shining and the birds are chirping. After giving thanks, I'll have a nice walk with Gab again this morning. And we will play outside until were dripping wet with sweat. Playing is the fun exercise my baby and I share. We enjoy it a lot.

Happy Sunday! Hope you’ll have a fun-filled day too! 

on Real Property Management

2009-07-25T11:40:00.000-07:00

Almost every family dream of owning their house; I dream of owning a multi-unit apartment property so that money will flow in my pocket. Having read on real estate investing and how it can be used as a tool in building wealth, I learned that there are companies who specialize in the management of single family homes, multi-unit apartment buildings, and homeowner’s associations. One of them is Real Property Management. It is important that when you choose a company, they should meet certain qualifications. Real Property Management received "Franchise of the Year Honorable Mention" award and they manage over 20,000 units nationwide. They should also have membership in reputable associations like National Association of Residential Property Managers to ensure that standards will be met and maintained. I really dream of owning a multi-unit apartment property. When that dream comes true, I’ll have a Real Property Management company handle it. When you have properties, I think it’s wise to be safe by entrusting it some place where they can provide the expertise.

32,617 out of 77,901 the nursing board exam

2009-07-25T06:37:00.001-07:00

Wow! We're very happy that both my nephew and niece have passed the licensure examination for nurses already! I just checked it now and for every one else who wants to see the results, click on this link.

Congratulations to the 32,617 out of 77,901 who passed the Nurse Licensure Examination.

Choices: Samsung J800, Samsung U800 and Sony Ericsson S312

2009-07-25T03:23:00.001-07:00

My Uncle asked me to search for the features of the following cellular phones: Samsung U800, J800 and Sony Ericsson S312. The company where he works for is giving him a postpaid line subscription for free. Those phones mentioned are the ones given for free when you get a Plan 800 from Globe.

Samsung U800
Here are the specifications: http://uk.samsungmobile.com/mobile-phones/samsung-u800-specification
Samsung J800
Here are the specs:http://au.samsungmobile.com/mobile-phone/SamsungJ800-spec
Sony Ericson S312
Specs can be found here: http://www.sonyericsson.com/cws/corporate/products/phoneportfolio/specification/s312

I hope you'll get the J800 Uncle! Happy choosing! :-)

Comfy house with attractive landscape designs? I love them!

2009-07-25T02:16:00.000-07:00

It’s a bit warm but I still managed to bring my baby to sleep for his afternoon nap. I browsed online to check how hot it is and found on Weather in Philippines – Manila that it’s 86 degrees. In Singapore it’s around 87 degrees right now. If maybe in the future I’d live somewhere else, I want to go to a place with around the same temperature as our home. Why? Because I know the house setup can be the same. We can have the same comfy house with nice gardens and pathways and landscapes. In Arizona, the average temperature now is also warm. I think that if I’ll live in Arizona, I’d love to have my pathway landscape designed and maintained for me. Just like in the nice photos of houses with attractive landscape designs that I saw when I tried to browse about Arizona. Isn’t it relaxing when you have beautiful surroundings? I think I'd love to live or visit there someday.

Yummy and creamy Maja Blanca Recipe

2009-07-22T10:00:00.000-07:00

I cooked Maja Blanca, and every one who ate said it's yummy!

Here are the ingredients and the instructions for cooking.

Ingredients:
1 cup thick coconut milk
1 small can evaporated milk (154ml)
1 small can condensed milk (168 ml)
1/2 cup cornstarch
1 cup corn kernels

grated cheeze

Instructions:
1. Combine all ingredients except the grated cheeze. Make sure that the cornstarch is dissolved.
2. Cook over slow heat until the mixture is clear. Stir constantly to prevent lumps.
3. Pour in a container and sprinkle with grated cheeze on top.
4. Refrigerate and serve.

Yes, you are right. As easy as that!

To every one who's not familiar with Maja Blanca, I'm so sorry I haven't had my camera repaired yet. Next time I cook, I'll try to have a photo so that you can see my finished product.

Anyway, can you try the recipe, and tell me how you liked it? Happy eating!

I got Manny of Ice Age 3:Dawn of the Dinosaurs for Gab

2009-07-21T08:46:00.000-07:00

I got the Manny toy from McDonald's Happy Meal few weeks ago (thanks JP for the treat!) and I'm planning to collect all eight.. I might overspend until I have the complete set (I just hope I can go to places to find McDonald's stores with available stocks). Gab likes Manny. I like the toy because it looks good and durable. I don't mind overspending a little to get Gab nice looking toys that will last.

Here's the McDonald's ad about these Happy Meal toys that I'm talking about.

Got to go! I've got seven more hamburgers to eat!